prisons

Journeys Through Justice producer Meg Luther Lindholm sits down with Bill Thomas to review what has been happening with the stories she reports on in this series. Hear most of the Journeys Through Justice pieces with discussion and follow up, as of summer, 2017. Emulating successful prison practices from Norway, relocation of some drug and mental health counseling to communities instead of prison, drug courts, and more.

One of the success stories in North Dakota’s criminal justice system has been its drug courts. In this Journeys Through Justice story, Meg Luther Lindholm looks at how drug court works through the experience of one man who tried and failed at everything else.

Every Thursday at 4pm the gavel comes down to signal the start of drug court in Fargo, North Dakota. This week approximately 20 drug offenders have shown up to report on their efforts to stay clean of drugs and alcohol.

No one starts using drugs with the goal of becoming hopelessly addicted. But that is what often happens. In this Journeys Through Justice story, Meg Luther Lindholm speaks with one woman about her journey through addiction.

Jenenne Guffey is a woman with a mission. She works at Prairie St. John’s Hospital in Fargo helping substance abusers recover and get their lives back. She struggled for years with her own drug addiction before she got her life back. Although when she started using drugs she had no idea how long it would take to stop.

A conversation about Addiction and Incarceration with North Dakota Senator Judy Lee and Representative Kathy Hogan.

Figuring out how to reduce overcrowding in the state’s prisons is high on the agenda for many state legislators. Meg Luther Lindholm recently discussed the twin problems of drug addiction and incarceration with two legislators (a Republican and a Democrat) in this Journeys Through Justice report.

Leann Bertsch has been North Dakota’s director of Corrections since 2005. In this Journeys Through Justice report, she talks about the changes she feels are needed in the state’s criminal justice system.

We are the third fastest growing state in terms of incarceration, which is not a good statistic to have.

This growth is driven largely by people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol.

Leann Bertsch has a job that most people would not envy. As the state’s director of corrections and rehabilitation, she oversees the state’s prisons. And since taking the job in 2005 she’s had to oversee a rapid rise in the state’s prison population.

We are the third fastest growing state in terms of incarceration, which is not a good statistic to have.

Two Legislative interim committees have approved bill drafts designed to help curb the growth in the state’s prison population.

The bills would reduce penalties for drug addicts, allowing them to be sent to treatment facilities – and to be put out on probation faster. Supporters say the goal is to cut the amount of prisoners being sent to other facilities – and using that saved money for local addiction programs.